How Ipswich Town shape up before Sunderland’s Premier League opener

Sunderland begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign away at newly promoted Ipswich Town later this month, promoted as Championship runners-up behind Coventry City.

According to Sunderland Echo, Kieran McKenna stepped down after promotion, with Gary O’Neil appointed in June. Sunderland are the first competitive visitors of his Portman Road tenure.

Ipswich have spent around £110m since going up. Emersonn arrived from Toulouse for £24m and Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu for £20m. Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop joined from Fulham, plus Florentino Luis, Daizen Maeda and goalkeepers Kayne van Oevelen and Kjell Scherpen, while Cedric Kipre and Chuba Akpom signed permanently.

Ex-loanee Arijanet Muric joined Sassuolo permanently. Elkan Baggott moved to Millwall, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin to Leicester, and Conor Townsend to West Bromwich Albion. Cieran Slicker left on loan to Barnsley, Ashley Young retired, Jens Cajuste and Ivan Azon returned, and Dan Neil joined Rangers after his loan.

Pre-season started with a 0-0 draw against FC Cartagena, then a 2-1 defeat to Osasuna. A split-squad day brought a 2-0 loss at Oxford United and a 2-1 win at Wycombe Wanderers. Akpom scored the only goal against Le Havre before a Leif Davis brace and an Emersonn strike sealed a 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano, with Union Berlin away to conclude preparations.

Source: Sunderland Echo

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